Wire cutter with removable cutting bar



May 3.0, 1961 w. R. FREEMAN 2,985,958

WIRE CUTTER WITH REMOVABLE CUTTING BAR Filed Feb. 10, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Warren H. Freeman INVENTOR.

9 BY W Mza May 30, 1961 w. R. FREEMAN WIRE CUTTER WITH REMOVABLE CUTTING BAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 10, 1959 Warren H. Freeman 1N VEN TOR.

man 9 9k 8% m mm mm A l A m m@ v 5 mm 1* n B 1B] x NW vm mg. 3 m WQN United States Patent Office 2,985,958 Patented May 30, 1961 WIRE CUTTER wrrrr REMOVABLE CUTTING BAR Warren R. Freeman, National City, Calif. (1604 Waxwing Drive, Sunnyvale, Calif.)

Filed Feb. 10, 1959, Ser. No. 792,339

(Ilaims. (Cl. 30-182) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in a novel hand tool, more specifically a wire cutter, which is expressly constructed and practical for ready and reliable small wire cutting needs.

In the manufacture or alteration of electrical and electronic devices and equipment it is repeatedly necessary to catch hold of and cut small wires. Since, however, the wire to be cut may be in a position lying deep; within a chassis or the enclosure portion thereof, the wire to be cut cannot ordinarily be brought to a convenient and reliable position for cutting with ordinarily available wire cutting tools. The job of severing such wires has required the use of a small pair of diagonal pliers. However, pliers of this type are frequently difficult to handle and manipulate in close quarters because the users hand must be near the cutting elements. It follows that the present invention has to do with a special purpose tool or implement which permits thewire cutting step to be performed at a place remote from the controlling hand of the operator. It follows, therefore, that an object in the instant matter is to provide a tool wherein the cutting elements, a simple anvil and a cutting blade movable toward and from it, are embodied in distal end portions of the parts which carry the same. The remote control handle means is consequently at the proximal end of the tool for expeditious control and use.

In carrying out a preferred embodimentof the invention a highly etficient hand tool has been devised. The

tool is characterized by an elongated relatively narrow reach 'bar of a length suitable to carry out the requirements of a given otherwise inacessibl'e wire cutting job. The distal or outward end of the bar is provided with a jaw. More specifically the jaw comprises an anvil and has a rearwardly facing or disposed wire abutting bed or surface. A notch is formed in the reach bar adjacent to the anvil and the anvil and notch together function as a hook enabling the user to pilot the end of the reach bar into adesired spot or place so that the wire can be temporarily caught hold of by the hook. A .cutter bar which is also elongated and commensurate in length with the reach bar, is superimposed on one flat side of the reach bar. It is not only slidably but remov-ably mounted so that it can be taken ed for repair, :sharpening or replacement. The distal end of this cutter has a knife or cutting edge which is coplanar with and is movable toward and from the anvil to function in an obvious manner to cut the wire Which'is being held in the notch.

of the lever has a fork, which, is operatively connected with the aforementioned finger in a' m'anner'to-reciprocate or slide the cutter bar. In addition a medran edge portion of the pivoted part of the lever is provided with an outstanding lug. Then, too, spring means is embodied in the handle means and is associated coopera tively with the lug. Further, means is also embodied in the handle means for checking and stopping the forward and rearward swinging movement of the fork end of the lever.

Novelty is also predicated on the construction and arrangement set forth and wherein the cutter bar is mounted on the reach bar by way of separable pin and slot means, preferably providing a bayonet slot and pin assemblage, the slot being specifically of keyhole shape. The handle means, spring means and lug equipped portion of the lever permits the upper forked end of the lever to be shifted to a temporary out-of-the-way position and thus allows the cutter bar to slide in a direction and to a position where the enlarged end of the keyhole slots may be manually freed from physical connection with their respective assembling and retaining pins at the time one desires to remove the cutter bar for sharpening or replacement as the case may be.

Numerous other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following descrip tion and the accompanying illustrative, but not restrictive, drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a wire cutting tool constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and showing the construction and cooperative arrangement of components which make up the tool.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the inward or rearward end portion of the tool with one of the plate portions of the handle means removed to uncover and show the upper end of the trigger and spring means, that is, one embodiment of the spring means.

' Fig. 3 is a view similar to and based on Fig. 2 and the purpose of which is to show the out-of-the-way position which is assumed by the trigger-lever when it is in' a position necessary to shift the keyhole slots sufliciently from left to right for carrying a removal or replacement step of the cutter bar.

Fig. 4 is a view in section and elevation and fragmenr tarily presented to show the bayonet pin and slot assembling and connecting means between the slidable cutter bar and the relatively stationary reach bar.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of one end of the reach bar showing the notch and anvil.

Fig. 6 is a view showing a slight modification in the distal or forward end construction .of the rear bar.

Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views of the spring means seen for example in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 10.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of a modified form of the tool.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view based on Fig. 9 with the handle plate removed to expose details not otherwise clear from Fig. 9 alone.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 but showing :a

further modification in the spring means as will be hereinafter more clearly set forth.

Fig. 12 is an end view showing guide and stabilizing flanges added to the notched end of the cutter bar, .an optional feature in construction.

Fig. 1.3 is a section on line 13-13 of Fig. 12.

.Fig. 14 is a fragmentary view showing a different type i providing the reach bar with a pin which is struck out to serve in the manner illustrated.

Attention is invited first to the construction and arrangement illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, 7 and 8 respectively. Looking first at Fig. 1 the aforementioned long narrow linearly straight reach bar is denoted by the numeral 18. The outer or distal end portion 20 has a wire seating notch 22 therein which is close to and cooperable with the laterally bent terminal 24 (Fig. the rearward side or surface 26 of which constitutes an anvil for the cooperable blade or cutting edge 28 on the distal end of the relatively movable or reciprocable cutter bar 30. Both bars are flat-faced and generally rectangular in cross-section. The cutter bar is commensurate in length with the reach bar and may in fact be said to be slightly longer. Now as to the cutting edge 28, this may be an integral part of the cutter bar by simply sharpening the end or edge or a carbide tip as at 28 may be employed. Also, and referring for a moment to the modification seen in Fig. 6 instead of using a bent end portion 24 to provide the anvil an -extra block or piece of metal 32 may be provided and this in turn faced with a carbide element 33 providing the anvil. Otherwise, the same reference numerals apply in Fig. 6. The movable cutter bar 30 is not only slidably superimposed against the cooperating fiat surface of the reach bar 18, it is bodily removable for purposes of replacement or sharpening, as the case may be. In any event and in all of the instances shown in the drawing the cutter bar is slidingly and detachably mounted preferably by way of pins cooperating with bayonet slots. Actually, the slots are longitudinally spaced as seen in Fig. 1. Each slot is of keyhole form and the narrow end portion of the slot is denoted at 34 and the larger round clearance end is denoted at 36. It would be possible to put the slots in the reach bar but they are preferably in the cutter bar. This means therefore that the headed assembling and retaining pins are preferably mounted at longitudinally spaced points on one side of the reach bar. Each pin is suitably attached to the reach bar and preferably has a non-circular or rectangular shank portion 38 as seen in Fig. 4 and a suitably arranged circular head portion 40. Thus the headed end of the shank serves normally to assemble the parts in slidable relationship. However, by sliding the cutter bar to the freed position seen in Fig. 3 the heads 40, which are then in line with the enlarged end portions 36, may be allowed to pass through the slightly larger end portions 36 of the slots in a generally obvious manner. Referring now to the inward or proximal end portion handle means is provided. The means preferably comprises a pistol-type grip. Actually the grip is made up of one suitably shaped plate portion 42 which is a coplanar extension of the reach bar 18. A similar shaped companion plate 44 is on the opposite side and a spacing block 46 is arranged between and the parts are fastened together as at 48. There is an extension 50 on the plate 44 with a laterally bent terminal 52 which is directed in a manner to serve as a guard and to prevent this end from catching on ones clothing. The median portion of the plate 44 has an elongated slot 54 opposite a correspondingly positioned slot 54 in the plate portion 42. Also holes are provided at 56 serving a purpose to -be explained. Then, too, the upper end of the block as seen in Fig. 2 for example has a notch 58 therein provid ing a seat for the bight portion 60 of the U-shaped insertable and removable biasing spring 62.

The lower arm 64 has a terminal bend 66 and the upper arm or limb 68 is of T-shaped form the extensions thereof being denoted at 70. These extensions 70 are assembled and operate in the cooperating slots 54 while the bend 66 rests on examining Fig. 2 in relation to Fig. 3.

accommodate a laterally bent actuating finger or flange 88 on the adjacent cooperating end of the sliding cutter bar. The tip of the spring, that is the limb 68, normally engages an edge portion of the trigger lever in the manner seen in Fig. 2 and limits the direction of the swing of the lever in what may be called a rearward direction. A stop pin 90 between the plate portions and in front of the forward edge limits the swing in an opposite direction. The extensions 92 on the median portion of a trip or fingerpiece 94 fit into the hinging holes 56 provided therefor in the manner seen in Fig. 1. The free end 96 rests on the tip portion of the upper limb 68. The laterally bent knurled end 98 provides a suitable grip and rests normally atop an edge portion of the spacer 46 in the manner seen in Fig. 2.

Attention is directed to the clearance notch or recess 100 provided in the forked upper end portion of the rear edge of the lever the purpose of which will be evident by This featured construction will be further explained later on.

It will be evident that a wire to be cut may be inserted in the notch 22 so that it will be situated between the effective face of the anvil and the cutting edge, that is between 26 and 28 in Fig. 1. By catching hold of the pistol-type .handle or grip and also the trigger lever 76 and squeezing .that the tip of the limb 68 provides a stop and rests against the adjacent edge portion of the trip lever as evidenced in Fig. 2.

Assuming that one desires to remove or detach the cutter bar 30 it is of course necessary to slide the same in a direction from left to right so that the headed ends 40 register with the enlarged end portions 36 in the keyhole slots 34. This is accomplished as seen in Fig. 3. Merely lifting the trip or release member 94 serves to press the tip of the limb 68 into the clearance notch 100 and allows the trigger lever 76 to move to the position seen in Fig. 3 whereupon the flange 88 can be lifted out of the crotch between the furcations 78. The same trip 94 serves to replace the spring 62 in its normal operating position as illustrated in Fig. 2.

With reference now to Fig. 12 the construction here shown is merely an addition and not to be treated as a modification. In other words, it is optional in constructing the tool so far described to provide the distal end portion of the reach bar 18 with flanges 102 and 104 which are constructed to provide rigidifying channels or tracks. The end portion 28 of the cutter bar 30 slides back and forth in the channels and is consequently stabilized and prevented from buckling. The retaining flange 102 is rearwardly or inwardly of the notch 22.

With reference now to the modification identified as Fig. 11 it is to be explained that the same reference numerals already employed to designate elements and parts are repeated here because the only difierence is in substituting 1 112 is provided and is mounted in bearings provided therefor in the opposed plates and this shaft carries a cam 114 which is cooperable with the edge of the trigger lever to function as a stop corresponding to the T-shaped end of the limb 68 of the aforementioned spring 62. The flat side of the cam however may be turned around (not detailed) to provide clearance and to allow the trigger lever to be swung from the normal operating position of Fig. 11

"to a position similar to that already described in connection with Fig. 3.

sharpened blade.

s ss-ass It is not necessary, obviously,-- to employ headed studs as-the pins" in the bayonet slot and pin assembling means. Thatis to say it is within the purview of the invention to strike out a T-shaped pin" 116' (Fig; and to in addition provide a bayonet slot 118 which has a suitable T formation 120 at one end to' clear the head of the pin or stud 116. It is believed that Figs. l4 and 15 serve to illustrate this slight modification and construction. In these figures the reach bar is denoted at 18A and the cutter bar at 30A.

Along similar lines and instead of striking out and utilizing a' T-shaped pin 116 it is Within the purview of the invention to employ the type of a connecting member which is seen in Fig. 16. Here the cutter bar 18B has a disk-like head 122 struck out and connected by angled arms 124. The keyhole slot (not shown here) will be constructed to correspond with this type of a struck out pin or connection.

Reverting to the aforementioned stop 90 it is to be eiiplained that this is provided to prevent injury to the s'prii g in case the trigger lever" is pulled with no cutter blade in place.-

It is conceivable that two reciprocating bars,- ride a cutter bar and the other a holding or pliers b'ar' may be utilized and this construction is illustrated in the modification seen in Figs. 9 and 10. To enable the reader to tie in the understanding between this embodimeutof the in vention and that shown for example in Fig. l certain of the parts already described are being designated by corresponding or like reference numerals. The parts which may be said to be changed however are referred to by individual reference numerals. That is to say, the reach bar 18 is as already described and has the anvil 24 at the outer end outwardly of the notch or seat 22. Here the reciprocable cutter bar is denoted by the numeral 30B and has a cutting edge 28A movable toward and from the anvil. The lateral flange at the right hand end is denoted by the numeral 88A and is constructed to acocmmodate one end portion 126 of a coil spring 128. The other end 130 passes through an opening provided therefor in a similarly bent flange 132, that is the flange opposed to the flange 88A. The flange 132 is on a slidable auxiliary bar 134 held in place by the same fasteners which serve to slidably mount the cuter bar 30B. In this arrangement the free end 136 of the bar 134 is opposite the cutting edge 28A and the two ends work together. This construction might be utilized to advantage in one tool with one part to hold the wire to be cut and the other the This is thought to increase the usefulness of the tool in lacing cables where it would be well to crease the tape used without necessarily cutting it. This construction means that the plier blade or bar 134 is spring loaded and precedes the cutting blade in a progressive and seemingly obvious manner.

It will be obvious that the several parts, the reach bar 18, slidable cutter bar 30B and pliers-bar 134 are fastened 1 together by keyhole slots and pin means of the type al- ;ready described but not necessarily detailed in Figs. 9 and .10. The handle means and main spring means incorporated therein is the same as already described and therefore the same reference numerals are being used in these Figures 9 and 10.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For use in manipulating, catching hold of and severing small electric wires lying deep in a cabinet compartment and diflicult of access; a remote controlled wire cutting hand tool comprising an elongated reach bar narrow and of a length suitable to handling a given job, tlie distal outward endof said bar having. a terminal and an adjacent notch enbling the user to maneuver said distal endinto place in a manner to seat the selected wire in said notch, said terminal having a rearwardly disposed surface pro viding an anvil, said bar provided at its proximal inward end with handle means having a pistol-grip-type handle designed toassist in piloting the distal end into an advantageous position of use, a cu'tterbar similar in shape and dimensions to said reach bar and superimposed upon one side of the reach bar and slidingly and removably mounted thereon, the leading distal end of said cutter bar terminating in a cutting edge coplanar with and recipro cable toward and from said anvil, the trailing proximal end of said cutter bar being bent at right angles in a direction away from the reach bar and providing an actuating finger, a lever having a median portion pivotally mounted on a surface of said handle, the lower portion of said lever embodying a trigger portion disposed in a plane with and movable toward and from said handle, the upper end of said lever having a fork operatively connected with said finger in a' manner to reciprocate said cutter bar, said median pivoted portion having a lug, spring means embodied in said handle means and associated cooperatively with said lug, and means also embodied in said handle means for checking and stopping the forward and rearward swinging movements of the forked end of said lever, said cutter bar being mounted on the reach bar by way of separable bayonet-slot-and-pin means to facilitate the step of removing and replacing said cutter bar, said handle means, spring means, and lug-equipped portion of said lever being such as to permit the upper forked end of the lever to be shifted to an out-of-the-way position in a manner to allow the cutter bar to slide in a direction and also to a position where the enlarged ends of the bayonet slots may be manually freed from physical connection with their respective assembling and retaining pins, said spring means comprising a U-shaped spring having one limb thereof resting upon and retained in position by said lug, the other limb of said spring having a free end portion normally engaging an adjacent edge portion of the forked end of said lever.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said adjacent edge portion of the forked end of said lever is provided with a clearance notch adapted to temporarily receive said other limb of said spring, whereby said lever may have ample movement toward said handle means to assume the out-of-the-way position required when detaching the cutter bar.

3. For use in manipulating, catching hold of and serving small electric wires lying deep in a cabinet compartment and difficult of access; a remote controlled wire cutting hand tool comprising an elongated reach bar narrow and of a length suitable to handling a given job, the distal outward end of said bar having a terminal and an adjacent notch enabling the user to maneuver said distal end into place in a manner to seat the selected wire in said notch, said terminal having a rearwardly disposed surface providing an anvil, said bar provided at its proximal inward end with handle means having pistol-grip-type handle designed to assist in piloting the distal end into an advantageous position of use, a cutter bar similar in shape and dimensions to said reach bar and superimposed upon one side of the reach bar and slidingly and removably mounted thereon, the leading distal end of said cutter bar terminating in a cutting edge coplanar with and reciprocable toward and from said anvil, the trailing proximal end of said cutter bar being bent at right angles in a direction away from the reach bar and providing an actuating finger, a lever having a median portion pivotally mounted on a surface of said handle, the lower portion of said lever embodying a trigger portion disposed in a plane with and movable toward and from said handle, the upper end of said lever having a fork operatively connected with said finger in a manner to reciprocate said cutter bar, said median pivoted portion having a lug, spring means embodied in said handle means and associated cooperatively with said lug, and means also embodied in said handle means for checking and stopping the forward and rearward swinging movements of the forked end of said lever, said handle means comprising spaced plates suitably shaped to provide gripping portions, a correspondingly shaped filler block sandwiched between and fastened to said gripping portions, the end of said block having a cutout providing a seat, said spring means embodying a U-shaped spring the bight portion of which is nested in said seat, and one of the limbs of said spring having a fingergrip which is accessibly arranged in an available space provided therefor between the plates and adjacent end of said block, said finger grip being usable to flex said one limb.

' 4. The structure defined in claim 3, and wherein an edge portion of the bifurcated part of the lever has a clearance notch for the free end of said one limb.

5. A remote controlled wire holding and cutting tool comprising a linearly straight fiat-faced reach bar having its leading distal end provided with a fixed anvil and a wire holding notch inwardly of said anvil, pistol-type handle means carried by the proximal end of said reach bar, a trigger lever pivotally mounted on and cooperable with the handle means, a cutter bar superimposed against one flat face of said reach bar and slidingly and removably mounted on said bar and provided at its inner end with a laterally bent flange, said trip lever having an upper end adjacent said flange and operatively and separably joined with said flange, spring means incorporated in said handle means for biasing said trip lever to a normal released position, a third bar similar to said cutter bar and paralleling the same and relatively slidable thereto and slidingly and removably mounted on said reach bar and having a distal end portion opposite a cutter edge on said cutter bar, said distal end portion and said cutting edge being both movable toward and from said anvil, the op posite inner end of said third bar having a laterally bent flange in spaced parallelism in respect to said first named flange, a coil spring located between the flanges and having end portions connected with the respective end flanges References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 278,108 Drake May 22, 1883 460,903 Woodward Oct. 6, 1891 2,270,495 Bernay Jan. 20, 1942 2,541,063 Hubbard Feb. 13, 1951 2,873,524 Freeman Feb. 17, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS H24,669 Germany Oct. 31, 1956' 

